Keyblazer
Well-known member
Gorgeous work!
Keep the pics coming!
Keep the pics coming!
Show us your sewing projects!
- Thread starter nine4gmc
- Start date
That came out nice. Did you do the pattern also? If you did I’m very impressed, that is very hard to do well. Either way it came out great and fits the bike perfectly.This thread needs reviving!
I just finished a new seat cover for one of my motorcycles. This is the 5th seat cover I've done, and it is way better than any of the previous. I picked up a Nakajima 180L walking foot machine, and it made a huge difference when working with the heavier materials. The servo motor and auto-up/down feature were a big part of that too.
The seat surface is Sunbrella canvas in "wheat." I'm hoping it will help prevent hot **** when I hop on the bike after it's been sitting in the sun.
draco_1967
Well-known member
Thanks! Yes, I stitched the honeycomb pattern in. I saw it on Instagram from a leatherworker who is local to Salt Lake. She does all kinds of cool patterns, but the honeycomb stuck out to me as really different.
I had to create a few different stencil to get the spacing and size right on the hex pattern. Then I practiced on a few pieces of the canvas to see what stitch length worked best to be the most consistent. I had to count every stitch. Fortunately, the auto up/down on the servo made stopping at the right spot very easy. I only over-ran the stich a few times.
I had to create a few different stencil to get the spacing and size right on the hex pattern. Then I practiced on a few pieces of the canvas to see what stitch length worked best to be the most consistent. I had to count every stitch. Fortunately, the auto up/down on the servo made stopping at the right spot very easy. I only over-ran the stich a few times.
That is awesome
.Tried sewing a wallet with my relatively arbitrary metralworking skeels and tools. Made my own skiving blade by welding it to aflat piece of metal. Saddle stitching requires some learning.
Biggest problem - it is way too fat and credit cards don't fit inside. Sadly, but it was a nice learning experience.
Should 3d print appropriate templates next time, and maybe make a nice clamping device for sewing.
Biggest problem - it is way too fat and credit cards don't fit inside. Sadly, but it was a nice learning experience.
Should 3d print appropriate templates next time, and maybe make a nice clamping device for sewing.
Attachments
kerrynzl
Well-known member
I probably need to surrender my "Man Card" for this.
[You know "Happy wife = Less Strife"]
My wife purchased this "classic" dress online after we supplied them all the measurements. [The vendors obviously didn't give a f*** about customer satisfaction, or even if it fit properly]
When it arrived, it resembled a wraparound TeePee with these awful 2" wide pleats . Diagonal drape and vertical pleats do not go together.
My wife got so upset she wanted to throw it in the trash. So I got her to patiently unpick it, and press out all the pleats so we could re-evaluate the situation.
Then I roughly shaped the skirt into non-pleated "bell shaped" panels
So far so good, then I unpicked the skirt from the blouse, and reshaped it "in" from the armpits down to create a tapered waistline.
then I tacked it back together for another look
I'm starting to get results here [waistline up]
Then I unpicked all the Skirt side seams and shaped them in from the hips to the waistline
And I shaped in the rear seam [also from the hips to the waistline]
Between these seams I added 4 x forward pleats [2 in the front , 2 in the rear]
This created the classic bell shape that my wife wanted.
Because the skirt flared out in a "bell shape" I needed to get creative with the hemline. This was a continuous radius [or circumference]
Out of all the offcuts , I made a belt-tie .
here is a trial fitting of the finished product [prior to pressing]
The conclusion!
No matter how brave we are.... we are still scared of our wives
[You know "Happy wife = Less Strife"]
My wife purchased this "classic" dress online after we supplied them all the measurements. [The vendors obviously didn't give a f*** about customer satisfaction, or even if it fit properly]
When it arrived, it resembled a wraparound TeePee with these awful 2" wide pleats . Diagonal drape and vertical pleats do not go together.
My wife got so upset she wanted to throw it in the trash. So I got her to patiently unpick it, and press out all the pleats so we could re-evaluate the situation.
Then I roughly shaped the skirt into non-pleated "bell shaped" panels
So far so good, then I unpicked the skirt from the blouse, and reshaped it "in" from the armpits down to create a tapered waistline.
then I tacked it back together for another look
I'm starting to get results here [waistline up]
Then I unpicked all the Skirt side seams and shaped them in from the hips to the waistline
And I shaped in the rear seam [also from the hips to the waistline]
Between these seams I added 4 x forward pleats [2 in the front , 2 in the rear]
This created the classic bell shape that my wife wanted.
Because the skirt flared out in a "bell shape" I needed to get creative with the hemline. This was a continuous radius [or circumference]
Out of all the offcuts , I made a belt-tie .
here is a trial fitting of the finished product [prior to pressing]
The conclusion!
No matter how brave we are.... we are still scared of our wives
cvairwerks
Well-known member
Kerry: some of the best tailors I've ever seen, were men. Doing alterations on something like that, are both art and skill. Be proud of making it happen.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Kerry, my man card has been washed and ironed so many times it's unrecognizable. In high school I altered my own clothes. In the '50s and '60s jeans had one style and length and it wasn't meant for short skinny kids. And no one sold banded collar dress shirts back then either.
IndyGarage
Well-known member
Possibly not well known, but when Babe Ruth was a teenager, he ended up in "reform" school. The school made each student learn a skill. Babe's skill was tailoring - shirtmaking - specifically. The school also had a very competitive baseball team. From the time he got his first pro baseball contract at 19 to the end of his baseball career, he would remake his uniforms so they fit better and allowed him to move better.
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draco_1967
Well-known member
Tailoring was originally a man's job! In much of the world, it still is. There is no shame in being able to create something like that.
DGersic
Well-known member
Damn, Kerry, that came out really nice. Good job on the rework.
Yarz
Well-known member
I'm almost ashamed to share this after that delicate dress work...
I put new pockets on my oldest Carhartt jacket. Most people probably would have thrown this away 2 or three times by now
.
I took a worn out pair of pants that were a similar canvas-type material, and cut out what I needed from the back of the leg (pretty much the only full section left). That's why they are a completely different color.
I couldn't get the machine to do a second line of stitching on the top of the left-hand side because the interior pocket blocked the base.
I put new pockets on my oldest Carhartt jacket. Most people probably would have thrown this away 2 or three times by now
.I took a worn out pair of pants that were a similar canvas-type material, and cut out what I needed from the back of the leg (pretty much the only full section left). That's why they are a completely different color.
I couldn't get the machine to do a second line of stitching on the top of the left-hand side because the interior pocket blocked the base.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Happy wife, Happy Life! Great Job!
I need to practice more!
Most people probably would have thrown this away 2 or three times by now
I think most people have a favorite piece of clothing they simply won't get rid of. I have a couple of favorite "casual" or "camping/hunting" pieces I keep using...
kerrynzl
Well-known member
@cvairwerks @Bob Heine @IndyGarage @DGersic @Outlawmws
@Yarz don't be ashamed, Your jacket is more GJ approved
In my defense I also do "anti-tailoring" on my garage clothes [rips, burns, holes, oil stains] to maintain a perfect GJ man-card balance
Seriously though , I have been playing with clothing for a while.
I find playing with gravity [drape] a lot more challenging than stretching fabrics for a nice appearance.
The worst "stitchmanship" out there is Upholstery and Car trimming ,with clothing not far behind [the poor quality work is hidden],
And the best out there is Awnings and Tents where they are seen from both sides and need to be of a high standard.
I also like playing with the "Art of the illusion",
I told my wife the best "Canvas" to have is a good body for it to drape it over, So we both work hard at getting and staying in shape.
My wife is lucky here [at 56], I could tailor a "potato sack" and it would look OK on her.
The trick was trying to get other women to envy her, and other men to want to be with her. It is not how you see it yourself, but how others see you.
I personally don't like the Gown style of the dress I modified ^^^^ [this was pure "accident management" saving what was there] I prefer the slender look.
EVERY dress my wife purchases gets tailored at the waste and hips [this is easy and can be done in less than 30 minutes on "HER" sewing machines]
Here is a couple of examples that I've altered to create the illusion that she looks tall and slim [she is only 5'1-1/2" tall and 102 lbs]
I make sure she buys a dress with the correct shoulder width [to save a shitload of work] and I simply "take them in" from the underarm to the hips [this is easy]
Accessories like a hat or shoes add to the illusion.
This one was done recently for our recent adventure. [shown in the Atacama desert, Peru] it fitted OK ish but was much more suitable for a taller person.
I shortened the whole outfit around the beltline to get rid of the baggy pants look, then took in the sides at the waist.
To hem the bottom of the legs , I got her to put on some "heels" and I draped the legs over the shoes. [This created the illusion of Long Legs which a petite woman dreams of]
I've tailored a few suits for myself ,and broken a few "rules" eg: narrow the shoulders and lengthen the sleeves
@Yarz don't be ashamed, Your jacket is more GJ approved
In my defense I also do "anti-tailoring" on my garage clothes [rips, burns, holes, oil stains] to maintain a perfect GJ man-card balance
Seriously though , I have been playing with clothing for a while.
I find playing with gravity [drape] a lot more challenging than stretching fabrics for a nice appearance.
The worst "stitchmanship" out there is Upholstery and Car trimming ,with clothing not far behind [the poor quality work is hidden],
And the best out there is Awnings and Tents where they are seen from both sides and need to be of a high standard.
I also like playing with the "Art of the illusion",
I told my wife the best "Canvas" to have is a good body for it to drape it over, So we both work hard at getting and staying in shape.
My wife is lucky here [at 56], I could tailor a "potato sack" and it would look OK on her.
The trick was trying to get other women to envy her, and other men to want to be with her. It is not how you see it yourself, but how others see you.
I personally don't like the Gown style of the dress I modified ^^^^ [this was pure "accident management" saving what was there] I prefer the slender look.
EVERY dress my wife purchases gets tailored at the waste and hips [this is easy and can be done in less than 30 minutes on "HER" sewing machines]
Here is a couple of examples that I've altered to create the illusion that she looks tall and slim [she is only 5'1-1/2" tall and 102 lbs]
I make sure she buys a dress with the correct shoulder width [to save a shitload of work] and I simply "take them in" from the underarm to the hips [this is easy
]Accessories like a hat or shoes add to the illusion.
This one was done recently for our recent adventure. [shown in the Atacama desert, Peru] it fitted OK ish but was much more suitable for a taller person.
I shortened the whole outfit around the beltline to get rid of the baggy pants look, then took in the sides at the waist.
To hem the bottom of the legs , I got her to put on some "heels" and I draped the legs over the shoes. [This created the illusion of Long Legs which a petite woman dreams of]
I've tailored a few suits for myself ,and broken a few "rules" eg: narrow the shoulders and lengthen the sleeves
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kerrynzl
Well-known member
mark-NJ
Well-known member
Most people probably would have thrown this away 2 or three times by now
"Most people" don't understand our love for our Carhartt coats.
That jacket is almost broken in! Almost. Keep wearing it....you'll get there!
Monza Harry
Well-known member
@kerrynzl sewing is a skill, preiod! It is one I don't have though. But you are also well versed in pattern making, I am ok at that for covers seats, etc. Patterns require an artistic eye as well as an advanced understanding of "3D" geometry, not something that is in abundant supply! I have never tried clothing, less than zero interest, as the wife and my tastes in clothes I think she should wear diverge drastically! I believe women (in general sweeping generalization) couldn't pick a beautiful well dressed woman out of a line-up. Their choice of shoes is proof positive. Another example was noted by you! You stated something to the effect of "Short women would kill for long legs" (+/- alot), I way prefer petit women, the apitomy of femininity! Good job buying some track time allowance from the warden with your tailoring skills! Harry
kerrynzl
Well-known member
SHAPE is SHAPE ! it doesn't matter whether it is Cardboard, Paper, Fabric, Plywood, Sheetmetal. If a kid could make a 3 dimensional cardboard model they have a basic grasp. These days we are too reliant on computer graphics.
I am great at sewing heavy textiles but I'm completely useless at clothing fabrics [so I need to cheat] I use masking tape or sellotape on the seams to prevent stretching when sewing along a bias.
There was no pattern making involved in the above projects, I used "applied research and development" [aka "try it on and see"
]One of my "tools of the trade" is the trusty Bulldog clip
Your comment about shoes sums this up perfectly.
The problem is women lie to themselves and have "Delusions of Grandeur" ,or worse still a group of women get together and lie to each other with compliments and flattery [lipstick on a pig]
All men know the consequences of the dreaded " does this dress make me look fat ?" question .
What I do now instead of answering this is say "Hang on a minute" and I grab a couple of Bulldog Clips and try and make a few "adjustments",
Sometimes there is a great improvement from a few simple tucks ,and sometimes it makes it worse. [Bulldog clips allow them to stand back from the mirror and evaluate the situation]
The biggest secret is "selling the dream" . With clothing and fashion, it is all about how they "think" they are perceived by others.
Every woman knows their weaknesses , [whether it is a fat *** or short legs etc] The trick is to hide these shortcomings and emphasize other features.
With basic skills , absolute cheap **** clothing can be shaped to a good fit. That is what "Bespoke" is all about [labels are absolute ********]
Monza Harry
Well-known member
I am not sure your humbleness is appropriate heere Kerry! In order to make a seat cover or a pair of jeans etc. create/enhance/or reshape a curve requires a certain understanding, and those with it tend to not understand that not everybody does! Knowing where to pull and tug for your "Bull Dog" clip placement is a talent that not everyone has. Especially when that curve has to meet up to different curve right in plain sight! Still nice work, you did there! Even better the "BOSS" was happy about it! Harry
draco_1967
Well-known member
I finished the seat for my other bike last night. It passes the sit test in the garage, and the morning commute to work test. I'm excited to try it on a long trip to California next weekend (assuming the state hasn't washed away
Outlawmws
Well-known member
a long trip to California next weekend (assuming the state hasn't washed away
It may just be!
But seriously, pay attention to where those fronts are going; you may have to ride through one?Chrome Vanadium Cody
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2021
- Messages
- 663
Beginner, enjoying getting into this and learning more. I was inspired by the photos in this thread to make a new seat cover for my moped. The original had been covered in duct tape since I bought it so it’s nice to get that replaced.
Well, had to put it to some work. My 3 year old Levis jeans. Very happy with how it turned out, and I hope they last me a couple more years. These were 120€ when I bought them here in Europe (we only get the "Levis Premium" brand which is supposed to be much better than the cheapo ones you guys get in Walmart, but I heard you can get these for near 70$ in the US). Typical crotch issues:
Before:
After:
Very happy with it, this thread really blends in. There is a darker "patch" visible on the right side of the main seam on the last photo - that one is the only one done with a generic blue thread and is a bit more noticeable. That is why I ordered this thread. There is a similar size patch/darn on the left side of the seam which is done with the new thread but you can hardly see it.
However I think I'll try some thicker jeans next time. The "Unbranded" brand is very appealing to me and they use Japanese denim.
Before:
After:
Very happy with it, this thread really blends in. There is a darker "patch" visible on the right side of the main seam on the last photo - that one is the only one done with a generic blue thread and is a bit more noticeable. That is why I ordered this thread. There is a similar size patch/darn on the left side of the seam which is done with the new thread but you can hardly see it.
However I think I'll try some thicker jeans next time. The "Unbranded" brand is very appealing to me and they use Japanese denim.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Do you have any sort of part No. for those colors? The Gütermann types/colors available is sort of big...
And did you hand or machine stitch?
DGersic
Well-known member
After decades of buying Levis, and blowing out the crotch of them way too soon, I finally switched brands. Been buying Dickeys which seem to have more space in them, and have not had another sudden crotch blowout incident to deal with. Bonus was that Dickeys were a LOT cheaper ($15) than the $75 I was paying for Levis. Dickeys have gone up, but they’re still cheaper than Levis.
Repair looks good.
They're the 5154 and the 5397. The spools also say "jeans" next to the number.
Hand stitched. I have quite a nice machine but I wanted to test myself a bit. A machine always makes more visible lines. Though next time I'll probably go at it with a machine instead cause it would be way faster and also not too noticeable.
It's really hard for me to get nice straight jeans here. I know US has lots of classic options still. I head the Duluth jeans are also a very good deal. Or the Wranglers. Wranglers are about as expensive as Levis here, and I think Duluth does not sell in Europe at all. Probably neither Dickeys.
You get some but they're very expensive and usually more "fashion forward". Italy has some very high end selvedge denim looms but I wouldn't want to wear skinny jeans or stuff like this:
Just a bit over the top for me.
)I really like the Carhartt jeans. They do sell in Europe, with free shipping and at around 75€.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Any recommendations on a good first machine to grab to learn on? I see some used machines with digital controls, others are all manual, some with foot pedals, others without.
My mother always used a manual control with foot pedal. Is that the way to go?
I do have a project in mind, but this is something that comes up often enough that I want to learn. Between a ripped knee, torn kids stuffed animal, etc.
My mother always used a manual control with foot pedal. Is that the way to go?
I do have a project in mind, but this is something that comes up often enough that I want to learn. Between a ripped knee, torn kids stuffed animal, etc.
For most projects you need straight stitch only. Zig zag is really nice to have too. Anything else depends on what you search for but for me it usually has little to no value.
Old straight stitch machines (pre-war Singer) can be very reliable and super cheap. Treadle is not a big issue for me though an electric motor with a pedal is neat.
All that said, I use a Pfaff 138. Got it for 80€ with its treadle. It is an industrial grade machine that was most likely used by a tailor in the past. It does zig zag. It does a relatively long stitch length of I think 6mm. What I would love if it would have, would be "triple feed". Currently it only has the single feed dogs as most machines. But for stuff like leather, double or triple feed is very nice to have. Double feed usually means that both the "dogs" (teeth) pull the fabric on the bottom, and that the top "foot" is a "walking foot" comprised of two pieces that "walk" on the fabric as you stitch, so the fabric is pulled from the bottom and the top. Triple feed means that besides those two, the needle also "walks" with the fabric - this is less critical but allows for very fast and reliable stitching. There are also combinations where the double feed is just the regular dogs and a needle feed without the walking foot (for super fast sewing of fabrics, not leather...).
Triple feed is something like a Singer 111W155. But it does not have a zig zag mechanism which is very hard to find in this configuration...
So in true Garagejournal fashion - you need 5 or 6 machines for sure!
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
There's no kill like overkill! This is one area though that I'm not diving in deep on. Yeah, that's what I'm sticking with.
If I end up with one, I need it to be reasonably compact so it can be put away, so a treadle won't work
WoodsTruck
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,020
I'm no expert but I bought a Consew 99 in 2010. Knee lift, servo motor, walking foot, straight, reverse and zig-zag with a reasonable throat length. I'm not sure if it is a dual or triple feed, but I think triple. It is not compact being in its own table but I have a corner in a spare bedroom that it lives in. It will stitch up to 5mm but only up to a Tex-70 thread. I kind of wish it could handle a little heavier thread sometimes for thicker material. Also, with the wider feet required for zig-zag it doesn't do tight quarters like zippers very well and there are few attachments for it like there are for narrow foot machines. I needed an edge folder and ordering one wouldn't get it to me in time so I made the unit and attached it to my swing-away mount that I typically use for my binding attachment. I don't use it often but it makes a nice finished edge.
You didn't specify your budget, but I would look for a Sailrite machine as they are pretty robust and are designed to be transported and stored.
www.sailrite.com
You didn't specify your budget, but I would look for a Sailrite machine as they are pretty robust and are designed to be transported and stored.
Sewing Machines: Heavy Duty and Industrial Sewing Machines
Find the best sewing machine for your needs at Sailrite, such as Ultrafeed heavy-duty sewing machines and industrial styles.
www.sailrite.com
Attachments
draco_1967
Well-known member
I've been really happy with my Janome HD3000. They have an HD1000 and HD5000. The biggest differences are the types of stitches they do, not the heavy-duty-ness of them. They are simple to use, only have a few dials to change stitches, zig-zag width, stitch length, and tension. It is very easy to thread (both top needle and bobbin), and maintenance is low. They are metal framed with a plastic cover on them. Very capable machines that can work with very fine fabrics up to a few layers of heavy Cordura or even vinyl.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Mike, we have a Singer 15-91 sewing machine.
They were sold from 1932-1956 so there are a lot of them out there. Just about every sewing machine service and repair shop is familiar with them and parts are easy to find. It's a heavy duty home machine and I've sewn canvas boat covers, upholstery and even leather. It has a gear- rather than a belt-drive so it can sew heavy stuff. That 'pot' on the back of the machine is the motor. Unlike its predecessor, the 15-91 runs in reverse so you can backstitch at the end of a seam.
Liane's mother gave the machine to us years ago and as you can see from the copper showing through the chrome plating, it has been well used.
A lot of people swear by these old machines and this guy goes through a lot more detail on its functions and features.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
That's a cool machine that looks well loved.Mike, we have a Singer 15-91 sewing machine.
They were sold from 1932-1956 so there are a lot of them out there. Just about every sewing machine service and repair shop is familiar with them and parts are easy to find. It's a heavy duty home machine and I've sewn canvas boat covers, upholstery and even leather. It has a gear- rather than a belt-drive so it can sew heavy stuff. That 'pot' on the back of the machine is the motor. Unlike its predecessor, the 15-91 runs in reverse so you can backstitch at the end of a seam.
Liane's mother gave the machine to us years ago and as you can see from the copper showing through the chrome plating, it has been well used.
A lot of people swear by these old machines and this guy goes through a lot more detail on its functions and features.
As I often do, I go from considering a project/hobby to diving in very quickly. I'm planning to pickup a brother machine tomorrow morning off CL. Unused (allegedly) for $50 and it has manual controls, so less to go wrong than a fancy one.
I doubt I will do a ton with it, but if I ever outgrow it, I could see a machine like that being a next step
Outlawmws
Well-known member
As implied
almost any machine will do for a starter. Manual is a good Idea, KISS and all that. I agree with Bob H on the old iron. Those are, if in good condition, bulletproof. For really heavy fabrics - now you need to consider industrial.
My Primary (now) is a Singer featherweight 221. about 1955! After using it several times its fine for most of what I do. For the occasional heavy junk, I have an old (40's?) singer that I hand crank - not good for big jobs but for small and heavy, just fine!
I can also steal SWMBO's good Pfaff, but she doesn't like me using her "good" machine for "junk"... So I keep the peace.
Bob Heine
ALLIANCE MEMBER
@Outlawmws, that's our other Singer. They made lots of them and they are available on eBay for anything from a couple of hundred to more than a thousand. Absolutely wonderful machines. Not quite up to boat covers or reinforced denim pockets but great for day to day stuff.
Ours is one of a group of 25,000 commissioned August 15, 1940. It's one of the rare ones that have a Wrinkle (crinkle) finish.
There's a website devoted to the Singer Featherweight (https://singer-featherweight.com/collections/sold?p=10) and they mention these special machines:
"August 1940 - a very small handful of Featherweights were finished with a Wrinkle finish (aka Crinkle), however, the Wrinkle Featherweights in this batch were most likely put into storage and not distributed until 1947, when they received the chromed, striated faceplate."
I suspect this Featherweight was a gift to my mother-in-law when she and her husband moved into their first house around 1947-8. She had eight [frugal] sisters who probably pooled their money to buy it.
Singer also sold a Featherweight 222 Convertible that made it easy to sew cuffs on sleeves:
"July 1953, the Singer 222K Free-Arm Featherweight was introduced in the UK, Europe, Australia and some in Canada. This machine was not marketed in the USA. Production of the 222k continued until 1961."
This is one of those tiny rabbit holes people like me and @Squankum tumble into.
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Outlawmws
Well-known member
Nice one Bob. not only good runners but take minimal space for storsge! My sewing kit cantilever box is almost as big.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I'm not quite ready to give lessons, but I managed to get a project done today. First time on a sewing machine... So I won't zoom in.
The project was to redo a sleeve for a portable monitor in pursuit of making it fit my travel backpack. In it's original form, it was too thick, with padding in spots that I didn't really need and it was about an inch too long and an inch too wide
Original
Revised
The project was to redo a sleeve for a portable monitor in pursuit of making it fit my travel backpack. In it's original form, it was too thick, with padding in spots that I didn't really need and it was about an inch too long and an inch too wide
Original
Revised
Outlawmws
Well-known member
That looks good to me!
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Squinting helps a lot